Yup. Plus when she was kidnapped by her uncle, her mother Demeter caused a famine killing thousands of people. The marriage of Hades and Persephone is not romantic or positive at all.
Demeter didn’t just cause a famine. She threw the fit of the ages, a wrath only a mother could bring forth. Her anger and indignation was so great she brought Zeus to the bargaining table. Demeter stopped everything growing, throwing the world into winter. Or the season of non-growth. Only when it was agreed that Persephone could spend half the year with her mother on the surface did her mother’s wrath subside and spring returned. But every year, when Persephone has to return to the underworld, plants wither yet again. ’
If I squint just the right way I think I can see in Greek mythology the process of how the indo-europeans with their sky-daddy inched out the older mythology. Unfortunately we know (comparatively) little about these cultures. And I think we have no written records…
The Mycaeans were an Indo-European culture, the ahrift from Mycaeanean culture to Hellenic also saw a shift from focus on Cthonic gods to Aetheric gods. I suspect this is less a matter of a matter of inching out of older gods and moreso the effects of losing ones civilization. Another connected thing that happened during this period was most likely the splitting of Pan and Hermes.
Not saying the Sky father hypothesis doesnt some hold water, but IMO there is a good reason sky gods tended to take center stage. Rain is kinda important and agricultural society will inevitably put a good bit of emphasis on such matters which will reflect in a cultures gods.
Yup. Plus when she was kidnapped by her uncle, her mother Demeter caused a famine killing thousands of people. The marriage of Hades and Persephone is not romantic or positive at all.
Demeter didn’t just cause a famine. She threw the fit of the ages, a wrath only a mother could bring forth. Her anger and indignation was so great she brought Zeus to the bargaining table. Demeter stopped everything growing, throwing the world into winter. Or the season of non-growth. Only when it was agreed that Persephone could spend half the year with her mother on the surface did her mother’s wrath subside and spring returned. But every year, when Persephone has to return to the underworld, plants wither yet again. ’
Demeter is cool y’all.
Thanks for the further info. I had a feeling there were parts I’d forgotten.
If it makes any difference Persephone as queen of the underworld predates the existence of Hades so her getting forced into the role is a retcon.
If I squint just the right way I think I can see in Greek mythology the process of how the indo-europeans with their sky-daddy inched out the older mythology. Unfortunately we know (comparatively) little about these cultures. And I think we have no written records…
The Mycaeans were an Indo-European culture, the ahrift from Mycaeanean culture to Hellenic also saw a shift from focus on Cthonic gods to Aetheric gods. I suspect this is less a matter of a matter of inching out of older gods and moreso the effects of losing ones civilization. Another connected thing that happened during this period was most likely the splitting of Pan and Hermes.
Not saying the Sky father hypothesis doesnt some hold water, but IMO there is a good reason sky gods tended to take center stage. Rain is kinda important and agricultural society will inevitably put a good bit of emphasis on such matters which will reflect in a cultures gods.